Airport lounges usually fade away quietly. The Chase Sapphire Reserve Terrace at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport left behind something even better: a piece of printer paper taped to a wall.
That’s not an exaggeration.
On a recent trip through Austin Airport, I walked by the former Chase Sapphire Reserve Terrace space and found a sign that said, “Attention Chase Sapphire Reserve card holders: The Chase Sapphire Lounge has permanently closed.”
And that was it.
Just a sheet of white printer paper, taped to the wall, letting premium credit cardholders know that their airport oasis was no more.
Technically, it wasn’t really a lounge. But more on that in a minute.
Before Chase Took Over, It Was Just A Public Viewing Deck
Back in 2019, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport expanded the Barbara Jordan Terminal. As part of that expansion, the airport opened a public outdoor viewing deck at the end of the terminal.
It was a neat feature. Once you were past security, you could go upstairs, step outside and watch planes from a dedicated terrace. For aviation geeks, that’s a nice little airport bonus.
It stayed that way until March 2023, when Chase took over the space and turned it into the Sapphire Reserve Terrace.
Then Chase Turned It Into The Sapphire Reserve Terrace
When Chase opened the Sapphire Reserve Terrace, it sounded more impressive than it actually was.
This was not a full Chase Sapphire Lounge like the ones Chase has opened in other airports. It was the same basic terrace, but now restricted to Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders and eligible guests.
There were new chairs, some branding, drinks and snacks. It was a nice enough place to sit if you had the card and were flying out of the right part of the airport.
But calling it a lounge was always a bit generous.
Most of the space was outdoors. That might sound great in theory, but this is Austin. For much of the year, “outdoor airport terrace” translates to “concrete toaster with runway views.”
Chase did try to make the space more comfortable. There was some shade, some seating and an indoor-ish section, but it never felt like a full lounge experience.
The food situation didn’t help. Instead of hot food, a staffed bar or anything close to what you’d expect from a premium card lounge, the offerings were closer to vending-machine snacks, beer and wine.
That’s fine for a terrace.
It’s less impressive when you’re carrying a $795-a-year credit card.
The Location Didn’t Help
The Sapphire Reserve Terrace also had one major practical problem: it was at the far end of the terminal.
If you were flying Delta, the location made more sense, since the Delta Sky Club is nearby and even shares part of the outdoor terrace area.
But if you were flying American, Southwest or another airline from the other side of the terminal, it was a long walk for a bag of chips, a canned drink and a chair in the Texas heat.
The hours were also limited. When the Terrace opened, it operated from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., which meant morning travelers were out of luck. For an airport lounge-type space, that’s a pretty big limitation.
And Then It Closed
Chase’s time at the Austin terrace ended in March 2025. The airport later reopened the terrace to the public in April 2025, meaning travelers no longer needed a premium credit card to use the space.
That’s probably the right outcome.
The original public terrace was a cool airport feature. The Chase version was fine, but it always felt like Chase was trying to make a lounge out of a space that wasn’t really built to be one.
That stood out even more because Chase has spent years building a premium airport lounge brand, complete with polished design, curated food, local partnerships and high-end cardholder positioning.
The Sapphire Reserve Terrace, by comparison, was never a true lounge, and it had too many built-in drawbacks: outdoor space in Austin weather, limited food, limited hours and a location that only made sense for some travelers.
Final Thought
Maybe Chase used it as a test. Maybe it was a way to have a presence at Austin while airport lounge plans continued to shift. Or maybe the company eventually decided that having no lounge at AUS was better than having an underwhelming one.
Whatever the reason, the premium-card experience is now gone.
The terrace is public again.
And the only thing left to remind travelers that Chase was ever there is a homemade sign taped to the wall.
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